An 85-year-old veteran detained in North Korea for more than a month has "apologized" to North Korea for committing "indelible crimes against" the country during his current trip as well as his last trip to North Korea (which was to fight North Koreans). Merrill Newman had been taken off a plane bound for California moments before takeoff.

Last month, North Korean officials pulled Merrill Newman, an 85-year-old veteran of the Korean War, …
Read more Read more

"I realize that I cannot be forgiven for my offensives (offenses) but I beg for pardon on my knees by apologizing for my offensives (offenses) sincerely toward the DPRK government and the Korean people and I want not punish me (I wish not to be punished)," Newman wrote.

Here's the video of Newman admitting his guilt in the war as well as his current activities:

CNN writes that Newman had been painted by North Korean news outlets as a spy who had "perpetrated acts of infringing upon the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK and slandering its socialist system." He had also reportedly "'masterminded espionage and subversive activities ... and, in this course, he was involved in the killings of service personnel of the Korean People's Army and innocent civilians."

With that much blood on his hands, would a simple apology suffice? The Korean press writes, "He admitted all his crimes and made an apology for them." But will that be enough to get Newman back his freedom?